Club-foot apparatus



J. BURNS.

CLUB FOOT APPARATUS.

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av e aw u. r A u d a A P N, PETERS. Pholo-Ulhngrapher. Waihingmm D c.

I UN TED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BURNS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

CLUB-FOOT APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 282,491, dated August Application filed March 20,1883. (ModeL) To allwhom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, J AMES BURNS, of the city of Chicago, in Cook county, and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Club-Foot Apparatus, the construction and operation of which I will proceed to explain, reference being had to the annexed drawings and the letters and figures thereon, in which- I p e Figure 1 is a side elevation; Fig. 2, a rear elevation of the curved plates A and A; Figs.

3 and 5, rear views of the plateD and a, show-" ing the mechanism for rotating the foot; and

. Fig. 4, a view on the bottom of the shoe.

This invention relates to certain improvements on the club-foot apparatus for which Letters Patent were granted by the United States on the 17th dayof October, 1882, N 0. 265,942, which I will proceed to enumerate and explain in their order.

The first improvement in order consists in the use of the auxiliary band or strap 13, and is intended to pass around the thigh between the legs of the patient to assist in holding the band B,to which it attaches, as shown in Fig.

. 1, from rotating on the body or moving upward,

and hold the joints t and t firmly in place.

The second improvement is in the curved plates A and A These plates sleeve together telescopically, so theymay be lengthened or shortened to accommodate them to the size of the patient, and so the 1imb may be stretched between the knee and the body in case of fracture of the femur, and to distend the hip joint, when desired. This lengthening and shortening is accomplished by means of the screw it and nut u. By applying a key to the square end Sof the screw it it may be turned in either direction, by means of which the plates A and A may be telescopically made longer or shorter for the purposes stated. Only one screw is shown for this purpose, but more than one may be used, if desired.

The third improvement is in the means of rotating the-plate a on the limb. This is accomplished by means of the pinion a," and toothed rack (0 the teeth being formed on the upper edge of the plate a, as shown moreparticu-larly in Fig. 2. By applying a key to the shank P of said pinion it may be rotated either way, so the plate a maybe rotated either way and carry with it the shoe w, which attaches to plate a by means of the screws S standard m, stirrup a, and nut S? integral with plate a. Pinion a is journaled in plate D and in the strap Pto hold it firm. The overlapping flanges a of plate I) cover the teeth on the up per end of the plate a, as shown in Fig. 3, eX- cept at the point where the pinion a is, and by their frictional contact with plate D assist in holding plate a firm and prevent the pinion a from turning backward.

The fourth improvement consists in the use of the screws S and nuts S on plate a, connecting the shoe by means of the standards m, stirrup c and screw-S to the plate a. Such a screw is used 011 either side of the ankle, so

as to operate the foot at either side. These screws S arefor the purpose of tilting the foot The employment of screwsS is much better than a rack and pinion, as employed in the patent referred to, as the screw will not turn backward when turned up, and thus permit the foot to regain its formerposition.

The fifth improvement is in the means of turning the toe of' the shoe laterally either way, and maintaining it in that position. In Fig. 4 the sole of the shoe is shown in two parts hinged together by the hinge w in such manner that the toe 'may be turned sidewise or laterally either way by means of the screws 1; v in the heel. It is obvious that by turning the screws in, opposite directions one will advance againsta plate, 12 in the sole, and

adjust the instrument to the size of the patient.

the other will recede, thus turning the toe in either direction and holding it firmly in the position in which it may be placed. The bracerod 2 is for elevating or depressing the toe and holding it in such position as may be desired,

so it cannot move either way. The said bracerod may be attached in any way or at any place desired to accomplish said purpose; but in this instance the ends are shown as fastened by the lacings. The hinge a on the side of the ankle in the stirrup 0 permits the elevation and depression of the toe, and the hinge or joint or permits .the foot tobe tilted sidewise when the screws S are turned to bring the foot into natural shape. The plate a may be operated by means of a spur-wheel, a, and worm a as shown in Fig. 5, when desired, which is in some respects the best, but is only a mechanical equivalent for the device shown in Fig. 3.

Having thus described my invention, what I I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is as follows, to wit:

1. The combination of the plates D and a,

the reception of the lacings of the shoe and 20 leg, for the purpose set forth.

5. The combination of the plate a, screws S nut S shoe w, standard m, and stirrup 0*, having the joint or hinge n, as and for the purpose set forth.

6. The combination -of the plate having the joint or hinge t, belts B and B, and plate A, being a continuation and an integral part of plate A, as and for the purposeset forth.

7. The combination of the shoe w, standard m, hinged to the stirrup or shaftc at n, and stirrup or shaft 0 having the joint n, all adapted to operate as and for the purpose set forth.

JAMES BURNS.

Witnesses:

GEO. J. MURRAY, W. H. BURNS. 

